Etihad launches new route to Basra in Iraq

The oil and gas capital Basra is Etihad’s third Iraqi airport to be connected with the capital of the UAE. Posing for the camera were Khalaf Abdul Samad, Governor of Basra; Salah Abood, Iraqi Minister of Transportation Consultant; Richard Hill, Etihad’s COO; Hasan Al Hammadi, SVP Executive Affairs and Corporate Security; Salah Al Farajalla, Vice President of Aviation Security and National Pilot Development, along with a number of Iraqi airport officials.

Etihad expanded its network to Iraq on 15 April when the airline connected its Abu Dhabi (AUH) hub with Basra (BSR) in the south of Iraq. The route is operated four times weekly with 136-seat A320 aircraft. Basra, which is a centre for the petroleum industry, is Etihad’s third destination in Iraq after Baghdad and Erbil that the airline began serving in 2010. Etihad’s CEO James Hogan commented: “Basra is an important industrial and transport hub but currently has limited access to air services. Our new flight will make a significant contribution to improving this situation for the people of the region.”

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